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Sharza
Main_Page > Vampire: The Requiem > Bloodlines > Anavashra > Tashiro's version > Sharza The name of this discipline comes from the Hindu, and is said to be ‘the name of a beast more powerful than the lion’. This is not a proper discipline, but is instead a path of mysticism used to control the curse of the bloodline. When a Gangrel is prepared to join the bloodline, they are brought to a well. These wells are places where it is said ancient monsters sleep or are bound, and which threaten to overwhelm civilization if they wake. A ritual is performed, where the Gangrel draws in a portion of the monster’s spirit, weakening the monster and housing the fragment of the beast inside themselves. The newly-created Ghost Tiger can feel the fragment meld with the Beast within them, crawling under their skin and manifesting as the marks of the Beast upon their bodies. This discipline was created to help the Anavashra control the monster that sleeps within their body. The roots of these rituals can be found among the Circle of the Crone, but operate on a different principle. While the rituals of Cruac can be seen as scarring to the kindred’s Humanity, where a kindred loses Humanity as the discipline improves; Sharza can only be improved as a kindred’s Humanity degrades. The character feels the Beast within them grow stronger, and more desperate measures are taken to control and restrain it – or if needed, to use it. The maximum level of Sharza a vampire can gain is equal to the total amount of Humanity the kindred has lost – thus, a vampire with a Humanity of 7 is capable of learning Level 2 rites (to a theoretical maximum of Level 8 for a Humanity of 1). Blood Potency does not restrict how far a vampire can go in this discipline, only Humanity. If the character’s Humanity is increased, any levels of Sharza the character has beyond what they should be capable of using is lost. The rites are still known, but can not be used. If the character’s Humanity drops once more, they must still purchase the level of Sharza needed to regain command of the rites for that level. Performing a rite requires the expenditure of a Willpower and a Resolve+Sharza+Occult roll and is an Instant Action unless specified otherwise, and is not penalized by wound penalties. When a Rite is performed, the Ghost Tiger can feel the marks writhe under his skin, which can prove very painful and distracting, increasing the character’s normal wound penalties by +1 for the next round. Unless stated otherwise, rites last for the duration of the scene. Roll Results Dramatic Failure: The pain is overwhelming, and the character must immediately make a Frenzy roll or fall into an Anger Frenzy. The character needs as many successes as the level of the rite performed. The character can not spend Willpower on this Frenzy roll. Failure: The rite fails entirely, and the character suffers the increased wound penalty next round as normal. The Willpower is expended as normal. Success: The rite takes place as described. Exceptional Success: In most cases, more successes are their own reward, as additional successes often grant greater effects. 'Suggested Modifiers ' +2 The vampire has acted in accordance with their Virtue within the last Scene. -1 to -3 The vampire has acted in accordance with their Vice within the last night. -2 The vampire has lost a point of Humanity within the course of this Story. Chain the Beast (Level One Rite) The vampire spends ten minutes in contemplation and purification while performing this rite. This rite can be performed on themselves or upon another person. If the rite succeeds, the recipient gains a +1 die bonus on all degeneration rolls for the remainder of the night. If the character gains an Exceptional Success, the recipient gains a +2 die bonus on their degeneration rolls. A Dramatic Failure in performing this rite will result in the recipient immediately needing to make a degeneration roll as if they had performed an act on par with their current rating. Mark of the Beast (Level One Rite) The vampire performs this ritual and gains insight into the beasts in others. Successes tells the vampire the relative Humanity of a target in comparison to them (higher, same, lower). This often manifests as an image of the Beast inside the target overlaying the features of the person being studied. An exceptional success will also grant knowledge of the Vice of the target. Only one target can be studied each round. This rite can also be used on mortals or other creatures, to gain an understanding of how in control the subject is (Morality for humans, or Harmony for werewolves, for example.) Circle the Beast (Level Two Rite) The vampire spends twenty minutes performing rituals of purification upon themselves or upon another vampire. If successful, the next time the recipient must make a Frenzy roll, they gain one additional success on the roll equal to the successes of this ritual. These successes will not prevent the Frenzy from taking place, but are used to grant the kindred a chance to control the circumstances in which the Beast may come out. Foul Venom (Level Two Rite) Upon completion of this rite, the vampire can draw on the dark nature of the Beast, and use it as a weapon. While this rite is active, the vampire can expend one Vitae, pulling it into their mouth and spitting it in a narrow jet at a target. The character makes a Dexterity+Athletics roll to strike a target, and each success inflicts 1(L) damage. If the character gains five or more successes on the attack roll, they can hit a specific target, such as the eyes or hand. A strike to the eyes blinds the target, and enough damage can cause permanent blindness. The range of this attack is five feet, plus one foot per success of the rite. Foul Minion (Level Three Rite) The vampire spends three rounds and expends one Vitae each round to perform this rite. One of the vampire’s marks crawls out from the vampire and becomes a creature about the size of the vampire’s hand. The Foul Minion can not be mistaken for anything natural, and is capable of flight. The character has control of this creature for the course of the Scene, and can use the minion’s senses as their own. While the Foul Minion is active, the vampire suffers gains a +1 die bonus on all rolls to resist Frenzy, but suffers a -1 die penalty on all rolls to resist degeneration. Foul Minions use the attributes of a Homunculus (V:tR page 225), and have a Brawl of 2. If the character gains an Exceptional Success, the Minion’s minimum Attributes are 2. Foul Presence (Level Three Rite) The temptation is always there to succumb to the Beast. It often tempts a kindred into giving in to their urges. This dark charm can be used to protect the vampire. If this rite is successful, any attempt to use Dominate or Presence on the vampire suffers a penalty equal to the successes of this rite. If the attempt is a Critical Failure as a result of this rite, than the discipline’s effect is turned back on the user (as if the ritualist used Presence or Dominate on the target). This rite can only be used once per night, and remains in effect until sunrise or it is triggered, whichever happens first. Revisit the Forgotten Conscience (Level Four Rite) The vampire spends the night fasting, and can perform this rite on either themselves or upon another. The recipient is drawn to recall the events surrounding their last degeneration roll, reflecting on what was done as they attempt once more to feel. The recipient expends a permanent point of Willpower to make another degeneration roll in an attempt to reclaim the lost point of Humanity. If the result is a failure, the recipient can not benefit from this rite again until they have failed another degeneration roll. This rite can be performed on others besides kindred, but suffer a -2 die penalty to performing the rite. Shape of the Beast (Level Four Rite) The vampire spends three rounds and expends one Vitae each round to perform this rite to gain certain benefits from the Beast contained within them. The vampire gains a +1 to Strength and Dexterity, and 1 point of Armour for the Scene, and grows claws which grant +1 to attack as well as inflicts Lethal Damage. The character immediately goes into a controlled Frenzy, ‘riding the wave’. An Exceptional Success allows the character the option to transform immediately (expending one additional Willpower instead of the other two Vitae). Drawing Out The Beast (Level Five Rite) The vampire spends three rounds and expends one Vitae each round to perform this rite. The Beast resting within the vampire pushes their way free, forming as a creature (nominally) under the control of the vampire. The Beast immediately falls into a Frenzy, but can be directed towards opponents or objects. The Beast can be commanded to be still, but if the Beast does not attack an opponent within a number of Rounds equal to the kindred’s Resolve, the Frenzy becomes uncontrolled, and the Beast lashes out at anything around it, including the vampire. At the end of the Scene, the Beast dissolves, unless the vampire is destroyed. The Beast (Intelligence 1, Wits 4, Resolve 3, Strength 4, Dexterity 4, Stamina 4, Presence 2, Manipulation 2, Composure 1, Athletics (Climbing) 3, Brawl 3, Intimidation 5, Stealth 2, Survival (Tracking) 3, Willpower 4, Initiative 5, Defence 4, Speed 13, Size 5, Health 9, Claw: 3 (A)) The Beast has half the Vitae that the creating vampire had upon creating it, and has the same Vitae Per Turn as the creating vampire. If the vampire that created it has Vigour or Resilience, the Beast has access to these Disciplines. Seal the Beast (Level Five Rite) The vampire spends an hour in contemplation of the Beast within them, sealing it with discipline and ritual. If the rite is successful, the vampire will not Frenzy under any circumstance over the course of the night. However, the character must spend a Willpower each time a degeneration roll is to be made, or the character automatically fails the degeneration roll.